Listening to Parents’ Views and Experiences of the Parent-Child Game – A Narrative Analysis

The current research project aimed to understand parents experience of the Parent-Child Game (PCG), an individualised parent-skills training programme. Information obtained from semi-structured interviews with five participants was transcribed and analysed using a narrative voice-centred relational method (Gilligan et al., 2006). Readings of the transcripts found contrapuntal ‘task-orientated’ and ‘emotional’ parent voices and an overarching narrative of ‘restitution’. Changes to participants’ subjective reality may suggest that PCG offers treatment opportunities which extend beyond its behavioural basis and that the experiential element of PCG may provide a conduit for schematic change. The finding that participants experience of PCG accompanies a narrative of restitution may help therapists in their understanding of parents’ and their children’s needs and experiences and may guide and inform the therapeutic process. Chapter one – A Service Evaluation – The Parent-Child Game: The Parent-Child Game service offers an individualised parenting intervention for parents and their children presenting with behavioural difficulties or relationship problems. The outcomes for parents and children who completed the intervention was measured in terms of parenting behaviours (using repeat baselines before and after intervention for the frequency of child-centred and child-directive behaviours), parental stress (using the Short Form, Parenting Stress Index) and the emotional and behavioural disturbance of the child (using the Revised Rutter Parent Scales). Two-tailed paired T-Tests yielded significant results for all repeated measures. The effect size for child-centred and child-directive behaviour was found to exceed Cohen’s (1988) convention for a large effect and the effect size for the measures of child emotional and behavioural disturbance and for parental stress exceeded Cohen’s convention for a medium effect indicating that the Parent-Child Game intervention is effective in increasing the frequency of child-centred behaviours, reducing the frequency of child-directive behaviours and reducing parental stress and children’s emotional and behavioural disturbance. Chapter two – Literature Review – Parents’ experiences of Parent Skills Training - A Qualitative Meta-synthesis: In the literature there are many quantitative studies, including systematic reviews which assess outcomes in respect of parenting interventions, but relatively little research that examines parents’ experiences in respect of parent skills training programmes. This meta-synthesis reviews qualitative studies that explore parents’ experiences of parent skills training in order to understand what they found useful. Four online databases were searched (Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstract (ASSIA), Scopus, PsycINFO and Google Scholar) for the period between January 2007 and July 2018. A combination of search terms was used; ‘parent training’ OR ‘parent*’ OR ‘training’, OR ‘program*’ AND ‘experience’ AND ‘qualitative’. Ten studies were identified and included in a meta-synthesis. All ten studies reported the use of thematic analysis or categorical content analysis and focused entirely, or in part, upon parents’ experiences of parent skills training. The meta-synthesis used thematic analysis to re-analyse the reported qualitative data. Four overarching themes were identified: Open and trusting communication; Shared experience/collaborative working; Development of parental insight; and Non-judgmental, practical and emotional support. The review highlighted that parent skills training impacted upon the understanding and the insight parents developed. Parents identified the importance of a supportive context which facilitated open and trusting communication and which offered the sharing of experience using a collaborative, non-judgemental approach. The findings of this review show that parent skills training programmes that have these elements are perceived as effective by parents and a positive experience. Chapter three - Research Report Listening to Parents’ views and experiences of the Parent-Child Game - A Narrative Analysis: The current research project aimed to understand parents experience of the Parent-Child Game (PCG), an individualised parent-skills training programme. Information obtained from semi-structured interviews with five participants was transcribed and analysed using a narrative voice-centred relational method (Gilligan et al., 2006). Readings of the transcripts found contrapuntal ‘task-orientated’ and ‘emotional’ parent voices and an overarching narrative of ‘restitution’. Changes to participants’ subjective reality may suggest that PCG offers treatment opportunities which extend beyond its behavioural basis and that the experiential element of PCG may provide a conduit for schematic change. The finding that participants experience of PCG accompanies a narrative of restitution may help therapists in their understanding of parents’ and their children’s needs and experiences and may guide and inform the therapeutic process. Chapter four – Critical Appraisal: The critical appraisal provides a reflective account of the researcher’s journey throughout the development and understanding of the research project.